LEGAZPI CITY — The NDF-Panay, including its member organizations, particularly the Pambansang Kilusang Magbubukid denied knowledge over the massacre of Sagay farmers, and instead, expressed deep sorrow and loss at the brutal massacre of 9 landless farm workers in Sagay City on the night of October 20.
“We convey our most heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the hapless victims,” declared the underground group. “It was just the first night of the encampment of the landless peasants who planned to cultivate the uncultivated portion of the 75-hectare Hacienda Nene at Brgy Bulanon which was supposed to have been handed over to them a long time ago thru the government’s land reform program.”

“To grow food on land which they have sweated out, and labored on was the farm workers’ last resort in order to stave off hunger and poverty rather than resort to desperate actions such as looting, robbery, thievery or drugs. But instead of granting them their rightful claim to the land, the government’s agrarian agencies in Sagay and Negros remained deaf, dumb and numb to the farmers’ call for land reform,” said Concha Araneta, NDF-Panay spokesperson.

NDF-Panay exposed the lies peddled out by the PNP, the Negros Occidental Governor, and top Malacanang officials, President Duterte and Lorenzana, blaming the CPP-NPA-NDF for the massacre as part of the “Red October” plot.

“Less than 24 hours after the nightmare murder of the farm workers, upon Duterte’s and Lorenzana’s cue, PNP Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao was quicker than Sherlock Holmes to declare that it was the NPA in cahoots with the NFSW organizers who staged the massacre. He rattled that this was part of the Red October plot to oust his mentally and physically sick master President. In no time at all Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon also prattled that the massacre was scripted,” said NDF-Panay, in an emailed statement sent to BicolToday.com in Naga City.

NDF-Panay condemned Bulalacao’s and Marañon’s statements as irresponsible, baseless and reprehensible LIES. These callous and unscrupulous Duterte paid hacks and minions have the gall to point fingers without resorting to in-depth investigation and without an iota of evidence that points to their accused.

“Ironic that Bulalacao is so quick to blame the NPA but cannot name a single suspected riding-in-tandem murderer on a killing spree in broad daylight,” said Araneta.